Quest Bad Omen

[Jeriah Thackett]

Hah! barked the beastly komodo, Little man promise much, give nothing. Melfa members.

She pocketed the coin purse, gave Thackett another rough shaking just to be sure he was relieved of all valuable items, and then unceremoniously dropped the man on his head.

Melfa Knight now, she added, turning then to tromp back to the sparing arena and scooping up the discarded sword along the way, price double.

Thackett was lucky his chin was tucked in to his chest as he hit the ground. He flopped into something that resembled and awkward roll. He slowly picked himself up and dusted his clothes down.

That Melfa went for a sword caused him no concern; she didn't need steel to put him six feet under.

"A knight, why that is remarkable news," he said, offering half a bow.

"So I will pay double what I owe you now, plus food and expenses for travel."

 

[Dieder J Strietz]

DJ had managed to avoid getting clobbered with a quick duck and a side step that put him off to the man's right, his wavy blonde hair set to ruffle with the whoosh of air behind the fist.

Next came the crack of the chair, and its cheap wooden construction broke into pieces.

The dealer was ducking under the table.

DJ grabbed up a chair leg up off the ground and bashed it over the big goon's head with a harsh break! The big man's eyes went crossed, DJ grinned and whistled sharp to Izzy, pointed at the pile of coin still on the table, his eyebrows bounced and his head jerked to signal. Take it and run-

A fat hand grabbed him up by his linen shirt. Pulled him right off his feet and flung him across the room and into a nearby table with a harsh clatter and crash. The big man didn't care about Izzy, he angled after the mouse, and lumbered toward him.

"Fuckin cheap shottin little rat fuck," he said, leaned down and picked up a club shaped piece of debris. "I'll show you," he went on mumbling his menaces.

DJ, dazed, tried to pick himself up from the ground, splinters on his shoulder, some shards of glass stuck in his palm. His vision took a moment to focus.

 

[Melfa]

A leery eye glanced back at Thackett over a pauldron of bronze scales. Melfa's tail flickered behind her in thought - the gears turning slowly. She swung the sword once, twice, thrice. The target dummy fell in lopped pieces to the ground.

This was a good sword indeed, and she didn't even like swords.

"Wat job?" asked the Komodo.

 

[Jeriah Thackett]

A fat hand grabbed him up by his linen shirt. Pulled him right off his feet and flung him across the room and into a nearby table with a harsh clatter and crash.

Thackett remained on his seat, barely keeping his balance as chaos erupted around them.

The pair were not - it seemed - the smoothest operators.

When scraping the bottom of the barrel, one did not hope to find a well polished treasure.

He turned in place and watched with interest. Thackett glanced down.

The big man stumbled over a piece of chair frame, giving DJ a momentary reprieve.

 

[Jeriah Thackett]

Wat job? asked the Komodo.

"Oh it will be terribly exciting. Steal a wizard's staff, stick it to some slavers and get paid at the end of it.

"In fact, you can keep your cut of the job and the magical staff which should be worth far more than I owe you."

And then if it turned out anyone wanted to track it down they would find Melfa and not Thackett.

 

[Melfa]

"Komodi not deal in magicksss," she moved on to the next dummy which had been outfitted in medium scale leather armor.

"Little man pay Melfa double," the komodo nodded, "livings, and half his share."

SWOOSH - the blade peeled through the armor like a hot knife through butter.

 

[Izara]

Normally, Izzy would have gone for the coins on the table but it seemed the more they attacked the man, the stronger (and angrier) he became. Izzy cursed a few choice words in kaliti, and left the coins on the table. If DJ was a bigger man maybe then she could considered taking the coins and letting the ogre of a man get a hit or two in, but as life would have it, DJ was smaller than Izzy.

One hit from that club and if he was lucky, he’d just fall unconscious. She couldn’t have him dying on her so soon. The letai easily made her way through the shouting and crowding men that had circled around the two fighters, jumping up on a different gambling table before launching herself onto the back of attacker.

One arm was around his thick neck, the other was tugging and twisting on his ear, her nails digging in the sensitive skin to cause him to careen to the left.

Dieder J Strietz Jeriah Thackett

 

[Dieder J Strietz]

The big man stumbled, was latched onto, ear near torn off he yowled as he stumble stepped off balance.

Dj's eyes went wide as he saw him scrabble to grab at Izz, her limbs vice gripped onto him, as his skin rent open where her nails dug in. The Anirian shuffled up to his feet, grabbed up a stray chair back and slammed it down on the big man's leg. There was an ugly crack. His leg buckled, and the big guy fell like a felled tree.

Knowing his partner was stronger, faster, and all around luckier than he was, Dj trusted her to land on her feet. His next step took him toward the table, his hands scooped up the coin and he made to get the hell out of there. But, not before he looked to see how Izz actually landed.

Izara Jeriah Thackett

 

[Jeriah Thackett]

Little man pay Melfa double, the komodo nodded, livings, and half his share.

His thin smile grew ever more narrow. He didn't even trust his legs to carry him away from that sword if Melfa turned on him.

Thackett wasn't as young as he once was.

He was normally more graceful around a negotiating table, but he didn't see a table here. Just a komodi and her new favourite sword.

"So you want double the agreed share and half of mine? Fine. Because Melfa, I'm pretty short of time to go and find more help on this one."

It was about as close to the truth as he ever gave

 

[Jeriah Thackett]

But, not before he looked to see how Izz actually landed.

When they eventually emerged from the inn they would check their winnings. The bag carried a nice weight of jingling...pebbles.

In the shade of a tree down the road Jeriah waited.

With one hand he flicked a single silver coin up and down.

 

[Zulgrid]

The dwarf sat at a table drinking wine in The Golden Goblet, a tavern in the docks district of the City of Kortes, home of the Radiant Church.

Across from him sat an elf in a dark cloak. She was not drinking. Her face was partly hidden by the hood she had never removed after entering. Her mouth could be seen however. And it twitched in a frustrated fashion.

"That's not the price we agreed on." She muttered indignantly.

Zulgrid took a drink. He paused as if considering her words. In fact, he predicted them last week. Maybe even a fortnight ago. He began his well rehearsed response.

"I know" he sighed. "Believe me, I know. But that's after I talked them down... You have no idea how much they value this kelp. They know about it's healing properties. But they also know that they're the only free city which can produce it."

The hooded elf stood and began to turn as if she was leaving. Zulgrid figured it was a bluff. She wanted this relic of peaceful negotiations to be secured almost as much as she didn't want anyone in this tavern that stunk of shrimp and vomit to find out that she was a Bishop in the Radiant Church.

"I know you have the gold. Our mutual friends know it too. Why so reluctant to share? The kelp will be worth it. Especially in light of this." The dwarf, who had spoken calmly and indifferently this whole time then produced a small parcel and shoved it across the table.

The elf turned and looked down at the parcel unimpressed. She opened it and withdrew a letter. Reading it, she again sat down.

"Sunfather...” she said breathlessly. She withdrew another letter and read it with desperation. And then another. They were military correspondences from Tychos, the suppliers of the kelp she had been negotiating for, which revealed intelligence that Feiara was planning a series of stealth raids and guerilla attacks on Kortes and her holdings and suburbs.

"...But..." The elf paused suspiciously "How can I be certain this information is accurate?"

"You can't" shrugged the eternally nonplussed dwarf, before taking another drink "You can only be certain they didn't want me to find it."

Jeriah Thackett

 

[Melfa]

Moving on to a target dummy decked in full plate armor, it fell under the pinning gaze of the komodo and had it been a living thing, it might've shrunk away from her seedy expression. With one final swing of the sword, Melfa cleaved the entire thing in twain with a spray of wooden shrapnel and the scream of rent metal.

Pleased with both herself and the sword, she languidly tossed the implement onto a nearby table and walked away from it.

Good sword. She would tell the armorer later.

Walking past Thackett, Melfa clamped a clawed hand down on his shoulder like a prickly hug, "Melfa will gather things. Feast tonight, leave with sun."

 

[Izara]

Dieder was right to trust in Izzy’s abilities. The letai woman pushed herself off of the brute, landing on her feet and then turning around, she kicked at the back of his knee to make sure that he would stay down. She followed after DJ, grabbing his hand to help lead him through the crowd that had built up around them and to keep them from getting separated.

Izzy brought DJ down the road before pulling him into a alley, not yet noticing Thackett at the tree a few meters away.

“Damn,” Izzy said, for a moment, catching her breath and then turning to look over at DJ. “You could look worse. Still cute, though.” She commented before gesturing to the bag. There was a glint of excitement in her blue eyes. They may have gotten into a fight but at least they got something out of it. “Now we can actually get some beef for our beef and peppers.” She said, taking the sack from DJ to open it up and see…

“Rocks. Shit. How the hundreds did we get goddamn rocks?!”

Dieder J Strietz

 

[Dieder J Strietz]

Breath came in fast pulled pants. Aches and pains pulsed where fist had met bone, and where wood and floor had slammed against him.

In the darkness of the alleyway, he couldn't help but fix a smile on his face as Izz called him cute, some stiffness returning to his spine as he eased himself up and slicked back his hair with one hand, raised up the sack of coins with the other.

"Yeah, can't wait to cook-" Izzy snatched the back away. His brow scrunched, but he shook it off. Peaked in as her hands pulled wide the purse's mouth.

Rocks. Shit...

"Shit," Dj cursed, he huffed a hard breath, his gaze cast out to the street. As if he would find an answer there.

Come the glint of a silver coin, and the easy confidence of a familiar face.

Dj's lips turned down, his brow furrowed with suspicion. He nudged Izzy. "Looks like he might know a thing or two," he said to her, nodded for her to follow after him as he made his way toward the man with the coin.

"Fancy seeing you here," Dj said with a tense smirk. "Was awfully nice of you to lend us that coin," he said as he eyed the man up and down. "What's the catch?"

Jeriah Thackett Izara

 

[Jeriah Thackett]

You cant shrugged the eternally nonplussed dwarf, before taking another drink You can only be certain they didnt want me to find it.

Jeriah Thackett was aware of the power in charge of these old stones. He had a history with religious organisations. Just being here made him feel nervous.

Thackett was desperate.

He had a powerful komodi warrior and a pair of...he actually wasn't sure how to describe Izara and Dieder.

He needed someone who could find them a boat, knew how to navigate at night and - if he was being entirely honest - another pair of eyes connected to a sharp wit.

He tried to catch the dwarf's eye, but waited for his business to be concluded.

Walking past Thackett, Melfa clamped a clawed hand down on his shoulder like a prickly hug, Melfa will gather things. Feast tonight, leave with sun.

"A feast, that sounds lovely."

He had seen Melfa at a banquet table. Lovely was not the word to use.

"Shall I meet you somewhere in the morning?"

Fancy seeing you here, Dj said with a tense smirk. Was awfully nice of you to lend us that coin, he said as he eyed the man up and down. Whats the catch?

"Catch? There is no catch."

He let that hang for a moment.

"But I have aa job offer. Hear me out and you get what you won with my money?"

 

[Izara]

Izzy followed after DJ, looking over her shoulder in case it was a trap of some sort. Her heightened senses caught onto nothing though and soon enough, they stood before the man who had clearly taken their winnings.

“I didn’t win anything, we were gonna steal it once that fight started. All to plan. Just needed a good distraction.” Izzy said, crossing her arms over her chest and giving the man a hard look. He wasn’t going to use his fancy word games against her!

“And considering it’s two of us and only one of you… you’re lucky we don’t steal from the needy.”

Dieder J Strietz

 

[Zulgrid]

Jeriah Thackett was aware of the power in charge of these old stones. He had a history with religious organisations. Just being here made him feel nervous.

Thackett was desperate.

He had a powerful komodi warrior and a pair of...he actually wasnt sure how to describe Izara and Dieder.

He needed someone who could find them a boat, knew how to navigate at night and - if he was being entirely honest - another pair of eyes connected to a sharp wit.

He tried to catch the dwarfs eye, but waited for his business to be concluded.

"Ignirex Taimunos!" The elf called out a kind of blessing in the old language of the Solar Mass. Zulgrid forgot the name of it. Sorath? Sari? ...eh. it didn't matter.

What did matter enough to cause the dwarf to lower his cup to the table, were the three militia captains who suddenly appeared behind his associate in their red and blacks with swords at the ready in answer to her summons.

She handed the parcel back to one of the captains. "See if this checks out."

At her word the captains bowed and left. Zulgrid relaxed and the elf smiled. She pointed a sharp finger at him. " You have just avoided going to the dungeons." She sassed. "Congratulations."

Then she walked over to him as if they were lovers, placing her hand on his chest she leaned into him and whispered. "Now run along like a good boy and tell those selkie lovers where they can shove their kelp."

The Bishop turned away coldly, leaving the dwarf to pour himself another goblet full as he waved over the most interested member of his audience.

"Next!" He grinned grimly.

 

[Dieder J Strietz]

Dj smirked. "Well, let's hear it then,"

No use in beating around the bush.

 

[Jeriah Thackett]

Next! He grinned grimly

"Well that looked like an absolute joy," Thackett murmured as he sat down.

The machinations of religious zealots always concerned him. Thackett would have liked more time to get the measure of the dwarf sat before him. Thackett had always struggled to get a quick read on a dwarf. Apparently one needed a manual for all three hundred scowls they had developed instead of the usual range of facial expressions.

Thackett had to spit out the proposition. Something he hated doing.

"I need someone who can find me a ship fast enough to flee a Red Reaver raiding ship."

"Red reaver raiding ship," he repeated. "But of a mouthful isn't it?"

 

[Zulgrid]

Well that looked like an absolute joy, Thackett murmured as he sat down.

The machinations of religious zealots always concerned him. Thackett would have liked more time to get the measure of the dwarf sat before him. Thackett had always struggled to get a quick read on a dwarf. Apparently one needed a manual for all three hundred scowls they had developed instead of the usual range of facial expressions.

Thackett had to spit out the proposition. Something he hated doing.

I need someone who can find me a ship fast enough to flee a Red Reaver raiding ship.

Red reaver raiding ship, he repeated. But of a mouthful isnt it?

"Hmmph!" Zulgrid made a sound in response to the human's opening line that could have been a disgruntled harrumph or a stifled laugh. Another entry to look up in the manual of dwarfish idiosyncrasies, perhaps?

This human got right to the point though. Which somehow seemed... Wrong... He didn't come off as a right to the point type. Humans were full of surprises, however. It was only a matter of figuring out if your particular human tended towards bad or good surprises.

He examined this one for a long silent while, as if trying to get a glimpse of which type of human he might turn out to be.

"Red Reavers, eh?" Zulgrid remembered a return to the Black Bay when he encountered a cocky Blight Orc with creepy black gauntlets that didn't match his armor at all.

"Was a time when Kharst wasn't even that feared, you know? Then he makes his crews start with that cannibal shite, like some kinda cult leader... Next thing you know, the Reavers are on everyone's lips. Now that's proper propaganda." He laughed low with a morbid pun. ”Speakin' of mouthfuls...”

The dwarf held his tongue as far as asking questions just yet. At least directly. "What you're looking for is a Kaliti Charger, though. Those ships sail faster and stealthier than anything from here to Vel Anir. Red Reav's wouldn't catch it anywhere but on fire."

He referred to another point of common gossip about the Reavers other than their cannibalism; their tendency to shoot flaming arrows and launch fireballs at enemy vessels who were too much trouble to board.

 

[Jeriah Thackett]

The dwarf held his tongue as far as asking questions just yet. At least directly. "What youre looking for is a Kaliti Charger, though. Those ships sail faster and stealthier than anything from here to Vel Anir. Red Reavs wouldnt catch it anywhere but on fire."

"That does sound like what I need," Thackett replied. He didn't profess to know much about the maritime craft, but Thackett got the distinct impression that the dwarf did.

"So here is the fun part..." Thackett said, leaning forwards.

"...I want to get several people off of a Red Reavers ship, at night, onto another ship. But I've got a plan around the fire part."

Dj smirked. Well, lets hear it then,

No use in beating around the bush.

"I need people brave enough..."

Stupid enough.

"...to steal something from an accomplished wizard."

 

[Izara]

“Steal what?” Izzy said, feigning disinterest but failing if one noticed the little things: the flick of her ears, the way she subtly leaned forward and the tip of her tail curling up. Even if it was something as boring as a old, dusty book made from human-skin wouldn’t matter. An accomplished wizard? That sounded like a challenge, and Izzy did enjoy her challenges because then she could brag about in a tavern on a night she was particularly drunk.

She elbowed Dieder in his side, as if he weren’t the one paying attention.

Dieder J Strietz Jeriah Thackett

 

[Dieder J Strietz]

He winced come the sharp elbow. Kept his eyes on the mysterious stranger.

"How accomplished we talkin," cowardly as he was. Getting one over a notorious mark had its draw.

 

[Melfa]

"Melfa find little man by front gate," she replied languidly, her long tail flickering and snapping the man in the ass as she left.